The Scottish wildcat has long been under threat of extinction mainly due to problems with the species interbreeding with domestic moggies. A scientist who has developed a genetic test to identify pure Scottish wildcats has now warned that the species could be extinct in as little as two years. Some scientists have now called for the remaining individuals to be trapped so the species can be preserved. It is thought less than 100 now remain so unless action is taken soon it might well be too late too save the species.

Selfridges has reported that sales of edible insects have increased by 11%. It seems more people are being tempted by the snacks which include Thai Green Curry Crickets, Dark Chocolate Covered Scorpions and BBQ Flavour Worm Crisps. They certainly look crunchy.

Is a question you might think slightly insignificant but perhaps you need to rethink how you decorate your bedroom.  It seems that the colour you choose could impact how you sleep. If you paint your room blue it should slow the heart rate and help reduce your blood pressure. Purple rooms on the other hand can stimulate the brain making it more difficult to get to sleep. I wonder whether lilac being closer to blue has the same benefits, either way, it’s the colour I am going to paint my bedroom.

According to this article it could harbour more bacteria then the average toilet. Leather handbags carry most bacteria because the spongy texture provides the perfect growing conditions. The dirtiest item in the average handbag is hand cream which has more bacteria than the average toilet seat. Women are advised to wash their hands regularly and to use antibacterial wipes to clean their bag and its contents. When I think of all the places my handbag has been I hate to think what sort of bacteria it’s carrying.

Is the message of this article. It suggests that dieters who join slimming clubs lose five times more weight then those who try to do it on their own. People who followed a Weight Watchers diet lost an average of 8.6lbs in 3 months compared with just 1.8lbs with those on DIY diets. The weight loss was also more permanent with those on a Weight Watchers diet, after 6 months they had lost an average od 10.1lb but those that dieted on their own had put 5lb back on.

The transport secretary has unveiled plans for harsher penalties for some driving offences such as using a mobile whilst driving and lighting a cigarette at the wheel. Sending a text message or making a phone call whilst driving will also incur tougher penalties. The current penalty for using a mobile whilst driving is £60 but this will be increased to £90. The number of penalty points offenders receive will remain as three. I wonder whether an increased fine will make people think twice about using their phone whilst at the wheel. Certainly judging by how many people I see doing it at the moment the current penalties don’t appear to be severe enough.

I have often wondered whether I could put my cats on the treadmill to lose a few pounds. Now a company has designed a pet treadmill aimed at cats and dogs. It is currently still only a prototype but looked quite interesting. It was built because the creator had an overweight cat that was unable to lose weight by changing the diet alone. One thing is not clear, how do you motivate your cat to exercise, perhaps a strategically placed out of reach biscuit?

A women has died after eating soup she had made with poisonous mushrooms. The woman picked death cap mushrooms mistaking them for an edible variety. The mushrooms are highly poisonous and there is no antidote. This particular mushroom is responsible for most cases of mushroom poisoning so it’s really worth knowing your mushrooms if you are planning on going foraging. If in doubt its probably best not to eat them.